The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• ‘Burma’s Population Is Only 51 Million—We Lose in Geopolitics’
• Activist Racks Up 10 Years in Prison for Rangoon Protests
• Mud Volcano Eruption Damages Farmland in Kyaukphyu
• Top Govt Official Downplays al-Qaeda Threat to Burma
• Shan Model-Waitress A Draw for Thai Restaurant
• Indian States on Alert After al Qaeda Announces Local Wing
• Thai Cabinet Meets King; Doubt Grows Over Power Handover Schedule
• Apple Supplier in China Accused of Violations
• Chinese Tourists Flock to a ‘Pleasant Village’ of Gambling Dens in Burma

‘Burma’s Population Is Only 51 Million—We Lose in Geopolitics’ Posted: 05 Sep 2014 05:11 AM PDT Salai Isaac Khen, executive director of the Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar, joins a taping of Dateline Irrawaddy in Rangoon. (Photo: Nyein Chan / The Irrawaddy) Burma's first nationwide census in more than 30 years found that the population of the country is just 51.4 million, according to provisional data released last week. In the time since the last count, various organizations have taken guesses at just how much the population had grown, but the government's claim of 60 million was the most widely used estimate. The Burmese people and policymakers must now adjust to the reality of a country smaller than most thought. Salai Isaac Khen—an ethnic Chin activist and director of the Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar—is a member of National Technical Advisory Board for the census. Following the announcement of provisional results, he spoke to The Irrawaddy about what impacts the revision will have on development policy. Question: What do you think of the provisional results of the census from a civil society point of view? Answer: Actually, the census is done for good reasons: It's difficult to plan without census data. But, we've got a variety of ethnic nationalities and the coding of 135 ethnicities used in the census is wrong. There was no proper announcement about this to the public, which put people off. The provisional results were announced at first, without announcing how many Burmese, Kachin or Chin there are. The data collected included controversial things. Some people say the census data can be used for voter lists, so these provisional results have avoided sensitive issues. Q: How will the lower-than-expected population figure of 51.4 million impact upon development policy? A: There could be changes because a population gap of 10 million is a lot, especially in development planning. When the state budget is drawn for townships, it is calculated based on population. This means the previous budget was based on 60 million people. There are only 50 million now. Isn't the amount for those 10 million wasted? It is. Waste means corruption. We've never heard that the allocated budget has been sufficient for the existing population. We also need to think why there is a 10 million population gap. Do we have 10 million people living outside Burma? In Malaysia, the Chin population is in between 80,000 and 100,000, according to a count by ethnic community. Q: Overall, how would you judge the census, weighing up the benefits and weaknesses? A: In general, this is an exercise in collecting data. Some data cannot be collected. There were challenges and difficulties that will have to be considered in the next census. But we don't accept that the census was extremely well prepared. When the UNFPA [the UN Population Fund] or the Census Commission claimed the census questionnaire reached all people at the grassroots, it was not only because of their effort. It's also the effort of ethnic organizations worrying that their ethnic groups might be left out in the headcount. For example, the Chin used about US$10,000 for this. The census makes us realize that we have to be very careful in handling issues concerning ethnicity. The central government cannot do whatever they want, telling a person to be 'stone' or 'leaf,' for example. Even though it's said to be 30 years [since the last census], it's actually 60 years. Thirty years ago the data was collected during the socialist government. The administration was one-party rule and ethnic groups did not have freedom of expression or involvement in decisions. Then, it became 135 ethnicities. Whether it was true or not, [the late dictator Gen.] Ne Win liked the number nine, so he made it a multiple of nine. We can conclude that those who have decided there are 135 ethnic groups did so not because they are stupid, but because they were not allowed to speak the truth. The census is claimed to be technical. But technical is political. It can be used in future politics. Q: What will be the future consequences of these census results? A: Sometimes, data is political. Especially in geopolitics, population is one of the factors. Let's say Burma's population is only 51 million—we lose in geopolitics. How many people does China have? [1.35 billion]. What about India? [1.24 billion]? What about Bangladesh? 100 million. Thailand has got 60 million. We've got only 51 million. We lose. In a country, when you have less population with more space, people will come in. We haven't got educational, economic or technical power. The only thing we have is military power. Singapore has got economic and educational power. So, there will be the idea that military power is a more secure option than democracy. When the ethnic numbers are revealed, there will be strength and weakness according to geopolitics. It would be no problem if everybody was inclusive about the variety of ethnic groups. But this is not the case in Arakan State. How many people have been inclusively considered? In Arakan, not to mention Bengalis, there are Kaman, Thet, Chin, Kami and Maran. They were never treated as equal. So, when lining up how many Arakanese there are, as an major ethnicity, we might be creating 'segregation' mindsets in the future. Similarly with religions: How can we avoid this? Religion is a private matter. The post 'Burma's Population Is Only 51 Million—We Lose in Geopolitics' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Activist Racks Up 10 Years in Prison for Rangoon Protests Posted: 05 Sep 2014 03:28 AM PDT Activist Htin Kyaw holds up a sign protesting Burma's government after his trial on Wednesday while supporters give a three-finger salute, a gesture adapted from anti-coup protestors in Thailand. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Nearly a dozen separate courts in Rangoon have cumulatively sentenced democracy activist Htin Kyaw to a decade in prison with hard labor under controversial laws on peaceful assemblies and incitement. A court in Rangoon's South Okkalapa Township on Wednesday added eight months' imprisonment to the nine years and four months that the activist was already sentenced to for several demonstrations he has participated in this year. Htin Kyaw, a leader from the Movement for Democracy Current Force (MDCF), has staged a series of protests this year against President Thein Sein's government, most of them related to land rights in Rangoon. He has been behind bars since May and was sentenced or has charges pending in 11 different Rangoon jurisdictions, including the townships of South Okkalapa, North Okkalapa, North Dagon, Shwe Pyi Thar, Mayangone, Bahan and Kyauktada. All of the charges have been under the Penal Code's Section 505(b), on disturbing public order, or the Peaceful Assembly Law, which threatens prison terms to those who fail to gain government permission prior to staging a protest. "Actually, Ko Htin Kyaw is criticizing the government for their undemocratic ways, in which they treat the people unfairly. By sentencing Ko Htin Kyaw to that much, the government is showing that they do not want to be criticized and are not practicing democracy properly," said Thein Aung Myint, the MDCF's coordinator for Upper Burma. "Each sentence from the separate courts is not a big deal. But in total, they have become a lot and now Ko Htin Kyaw is facing more than nine years' imprisonment. Although the government is saying they are a democratic government, sentencing political activists to this much amounts to a defamation of themselves," he added. Htin Kyaw is not a newcomer to prison terms for political activism. He was a solo protester in 2007, urging the then military government to rethink a fuel price hike at the time, when he was arrested on the spot and sentenced to 12 years and six months' imprisonment. He was released early under one of several amnesties granted by the Thein Sein government, which took power in 2011. In 2013, he was arrested again and was sentenced to six months in prison after he led a land rights protest in Rangoon's Mayangone Township. He once again benefited from a presidential amnesty after serving two-thirds of that sentence. Htin Kyaw is currently being held at Rangoon's notorious Insein Prison. He is due to face three more trials at different courts in Rangoon, with the next one at a court in Shwe Pyi Thar Township on Sept. 11. He is facing a minimum of one additional year in prison if found guilty. The post Activist Racks Up 10 Years in Prison for Rangoon Protests appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Mud Volcano Eruption Damages Farmland in Kyaukphyu Posted: 05 Sep 2014 03:00 AM PDT A mud volcano in Kyaukphyu Township. (Photo: Myanmar Earthquake Committee) RANGOON — A mud volcano eruption in western Burma's Arakan State has damaged more than 200 acres of farmland in Kyaukphyu Township, according to locals. The mud volcano near Yaukchaung Village began spewing mud on Aug. 31, immediately inundating 30 acres of surrounding farmland. The mud has since flowed into another 170 acres of land, mostly rice paddy, said Aung Saw Thein, a local of Kyaukphyu, which is on Ramree Island. "We still don't know the exact acreage of farmland affected by the volcano eruption," said Aung Saw Thein. "The farms of 16 farmers were directly flooded by mud. Then the mud flew into other farms with the rain. Rice plants were planted two months ago there [and were destroyed]. But there was no damage to humans and animals," he said. On both Ramree Island and the adjacent Manaung Island, mud volcanoes are common, according to geologist Soe Thura Tun, who conducted research there two years ago. He said the mud volcanoes on the islands are different from those in other parts of Burma as they are shallower in depth and sometimes erupt in flames as they expel natural gas. Geological formations in the area suggest that mud volcanoes were once even more common there, he said. "Volcano eruptions here do not cause serious damage, and only farmland is destroyed by these volcano eruptions," said Soe Thura Tun. "They erupt once every two or three years, but there is no regularity to their eruption. Some volcanoes have already gone extinct, according to our research." Arakan State government officials visited Yaukchaung Village on Thursday and said they would arrange for replanting of the damaged crops. However, many more farms are being affected by the mud as continuing rain carries it farther afield, said resident Kyaw Win. "Not only Yaukchaung Village was affected. Farms and pasture in Simaw and Kyettel villages were also damaged by muddy water," he said. "Muddy water is still flowing into farms and the paddy in all those farms will be dead. We have three other mud volcanoes in the south west of the village." The post Mud Volcano Eruption Damages Farmland in Kyaukphyu appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Top Govt Official Downplays al-Qaeda Threat to Burma Posted: 05 Sep 2014 02:05 AM PDT Al-Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahri speaks from an unknown location in this still image taken from video uploaded on a social media website on June 8, 2011. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The President's Office says there is no need to worry after al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri announced the formation of a new al-Qaeda branch in the Indian subcontinent to help persecuted Muslims in the region, listing Burma among the places that the group is setting its sights on. In a 55-minute video posted online, Zawahri described the formation of "Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent" as good news for oppressed Muslims "in Burma, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, and Kashmir." "We need to treat that news with caution as it can raise doubts and lead back to conflicts. I would like to ask [people] not to be too worried," said Zaw Htay, director of Burma's President's Office, on his Facebook page under the name Hmuu Zaw. The Burmese government for years has recognized Burma as a potential terrorist target, Zaw Htay continued, saying the country's security apparatus had put in place measures to safeguard Burma from such an occurrence. Those preparations are ongoing, he added. "Particularly, Burma has been cooperating in establishing an international early warning system to exchange and share the activities of terrorist organizations," read the Facebook post. Zawahri's announcement has brought speculation about the implications for the government of India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been accused of failing to stand up for the rights of Muslims in the Hindu-majority nation. India put several states on heightened alert on Thursday in the wake of Zawahri's video, which was posted online Wednesday. An al-Qaeda regional presence could also represent a challenge to the government of Burma's President Thein Sein, which has been condemned by human rights groups that allege systematic discrimination against Burma's Muslim minority. Rohingya Muslims in western Arakan State have been a particular focus of human rights groups and international media coverage, but the Burmese government has frequently downplayed the issue. "At this particular time, hate speech could lead to widespread bloodshed. I would like to seriously urge caution because I don't want to see violence here due to the words of Zawahri, who has fled for his life from US forces," read his post. Zawahri was the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's deputy, and took over the organization's leadership following the United States' assassination of the latter in May 2011. Washington has offered a reward of up to US$25 million for information leading to the arrest of the al-Qaeda chief. The post Top Govt Official Downplays al-Qaeda Threat to Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Shan Model-Waitress A Draw for Thai Restaurant Posted: 05 Sep 2014 01:55 AM PDT Nang Nauk, 25, is an ethnic Shan model and waitress in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (Photo: Nyein Zaw / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — As a young girl, Nang Nauk, an ethnic Shan migrant, hoped that one day she might become a famous model. Instead, after moving to this northern Thai city with her mother, the 25-year-old found construction, agriculture and domestic worker jobs until landing a waitressing gig five years ago at a local Thai restaurant, where she now works every day from 11 am until 9 pm. She had to earn a living, but that didn't discourage her from pursuing her dream. Three years ago she started posing for magazines and advertisements in her spare time, until eventually customers in the restaurant began recognizing her and asking to take photographs with her. Today, Lap Tom Yum restaurant near Meechok Plaza is known largely because Nang Nauk works there. "I did not expect to be this kind of model, although I had a dream in my childhood," she told The Irrawaddy recently. "If possible, I want to be a model in my country." Born in a village near Taunggyi, Shan State, she is the youngest daughter in an ordinary family of three children, and she was educated through high school. She moved to Thailand at the age of 17 to meet her mother, who was already living and working in the country. "My family used to have farmland [in Shan State], but the income from the farm was not enough to support me and my sister, so my mother went to work in Thailand and she sent money back to us. After I finished Grade 10, I joined my mother to help her," Nang Nauk said. "I faced many difficulties, such as the language barrier and differences with the transportation and food," she added of her early days in Thailand. She now speaks fluent Thai. Nang Nauk plans to continue working at Lap Tom Yum, despite offers from other restaurants who would like to hire her. At Lap Tom Yum, she has one day off every month and earns just 300 baht (US$9) per day. "I still want to help my employer, who has been good to me. I feel like this is not the right time yet to leave," she said.  "I am happy here and it's like my family. It's important to be happy with your job." She said she remains connected to the Shan community and participates in traditional Shan events in the city. "I will be singing in the Shan New Year's festival this year," she said. "I have never done this sort of entertainment for a Shan traditional festival in Chiang Mai before, since most of my time was spent working." The post Shan Model-Waitress A Draw for Thai Restaurant appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Indian States on Alert After al Qaeda Announces Local Wing Posted: 05 Sep 2014 01:13 AM PDT A Kashmiri vendor takes a nap as Indian policemen stand guard before funeral prayers for Osama bin Laden after Friday prayers in Srinagar on May 6, 2011. (Photo: Reuters) NEW DELHI — India put several provinces on heightened alert on Thursday after al Qaeda announced the formation of a wing of the militant group in India and its neighborhood, a senior government official said. In a video posted online, al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri promised to spread Islamic rule and "raise the flag of jihad" across the "Indian subcontinent." New Delhi regards the message as authentic and has warned local governments, said an official who attended a security briefing in which it was discussed with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is responsible for policing and internal security. "This matter has been taken very seriously," the official told Reuters. "An alert has been sounded." Indian security forces are usually on a state of alert for attacks by home-grown Islamist militants and by anti-India groups based in Pakistan. It was not immediately clear what additional steps were being taken. Until now there has been no evidence that al Qaeda, the group responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, airliner attacks on New York's World Trade Center, has a presence in India. The timing and content of the video suggests rivalry between al Qaeda and its more vigorous rival in Syria and Iraq, Islamic State, which anecdotal evidence suggests is gathering support in South Asia. According to media reports, Islamic State pamphlets have been distributed in Pakistan in recent days. "Al Qaeda has seen its authority eroded by the fact that it is no longer able to independently carry out large-scale attacks anywhere in the world, and by the emergence of rival factions," Omar Hamid, head of Asia analysis at security research firm IHS Country Risk, wrote in a report. Al Qaeda's establishment of a local branch seeks to take advantage of the planned withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan, which may lead to an influx of battle-hardened militants into India, Hamid added. The SITE monitoring service quoted AQIS spokesman Usama Mahmoud as saying the group's goals include "waging jihad against America and the 'system of global disbelief,' and uprooting it, in order to establish Sharia-based governance," according to an audio speech. It also sought to "revive the Caliphate on the prophetic methodology," SITE said, in a possible challenge to the Caliphate announced by the Islamic State. Modi Heartland Zawahri's announcement made two references to Gujarat, the home state of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist. Modi has long been a hate figure for Islamist groups because of religious riots in 2002 when he was chief minister of the state. More than 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, died in the spasm of violence. "In the wake of this al Qaeda video, we will be on a higher alert," S.K. Nanda, the senior bureaucrat in the home department of Gujarat, told Reuters. A high security alert in the state involves activating informer networks in sensitive areas. A senior police official said that Gujarat has been high on the list of militant organizations, including al Qaeda, since the 2002 riots. "It will be more so now because Narendra Modi is prime minister," the official said, requesting anonymity. Zawahri described the formation of "Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent" as glad tidings for Muslims "in Burma, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, and Kashmir" and said the new wing would rescue Muslims there from injustice and oppression. Ahmedabad is the main city in Gujarat state, which borders India's arch-rival, Pakistan. Assam is a state in India's far-flung northeast where religious tensions are high after massacres of Muslims by tribal populations in the past two years. A senior intelligence officer in the state said security forces there were "well prepared" to face any threats. Muslims make up 15 percent of the Indian population but, numbering an estimated 175 million, theirs is the third-largest Muslim population in the world. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims on the subcontinent have grown since Pakistan was carved from Muslim-majority areas of India in 1947, a violent partition in which hundreds of thousands were killed. Kashmir, which is claimed by both India and Pakistan, has long attracted foreign mujahideen fighters as well as home-grown separatist militants. In June, al Qaeda released a video urging young radicals in Kashmir to draw inspiration from militants in Syria and Iraq and join the "global jihad." The All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat, an umbrella body of mainstream Muslim organizations, vowed to fight al Qaeda if it appeared in India. "Indian Muslims are loyal citizens of their country and they will fight al Qaeda if it ever tried to create a presence here," said the group's president Zafarul-Islam Khan. Intelligence sources in Indian-held Kashmir told Reuters on Thursday that they had so far detected no trace of al Qaeda in the Himalayan region that borders Pakistan and China. The appearance of Islamic State flags at recent protest rallies in Kashmir was the work of an individual and did not point to any involvement of the group there, one said. India has suffered several large-scale attacks by Islamist militants, most recently the 2008 Mumbai rampage by Pakistani fighters that left 166 people dead. Smaller domestic militant groups regularly detonate small bombs, but have so far failed to launch a major attack. Earlier this year, Indian intelligence agencies said a handful of Indian men had joined the militancy in the Levant, among the first known cases of Indians joining foreign jihad. Hindu nationalist groups sympathetic to Modi have stirred sectarian tension in recent weeks, claiming there is an Islamist conspiracy to seduce Hindu women and convert them to Islam. At one of the world's most influential Islamic seminaries, Darul Uloom Deoband, in northern India, an official said that extremist groups routinely try to recruit young, uneducated and poor Muslim boys as militants. "We inform our students about the dangers faced by Islam, and rising militancy is one of the key subjects discussed in the seminary," said Ashraf Usmani from the seminary, which is known for its conservative Muslim thought. "I can say this with confidence that no student from Deoband can be recruited by al Qaeda or any other terror groups." Additional reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar and Biswajyoti Das in Guwahati. The post Indian States on Alert After al Qaeda Announces Local Wing appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Thai Cabinet Meets King; Doubt Grows Over Power Handover Schedule Posted: 04 Sep 2014 10:47 PM PDT From left to right, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula speak with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn during a photo session at the Government House in Bangkok on September 4, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Thailand's new military-stacked cabinet met King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Bangkok on Thursday, marking the formal start of an administration that will spend at least a year overhauling the political system before calling an election. The leader of a May 22 coup, army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is now prime minister, has said he wants a year of reforms to culminate in a late 2015 election. But observers say there are signs a power transfer could be delayed. "Prayuth has given himself several tasks to attend to while he is appointed prime minister," said Paul Chambers, director of research at the Institute of South East Asian Affairs affiliated with Chiang Mai University. "These could likely legitimize a reason for him to extend his term as prime minister and thus consolidate the power of his military faction and himself." Dressed in a crisp, white military uniform, Prayuth, 60, led his cabinet to Bangkok's Siriraj hospital, where King Bhumibol, 86, has been staying while he undergoes a health check-up, the palace says. The army seized power after months of protests in Bangkok by supporters of the royalist establishment against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Analysts say the coup leaders want to end influence of Yingluck's brother, former telecoms tycoon and populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup. He lives abroad to avoid a jail term for graft but retains huge support, to the anger of the establishment which sees him as a threat. The military-backed government installed after the 2006 coup re-wrote the constitution to try to curb Thaksin's sway. But that failed to derail his political juggernaut and Yingluck swept a 2011 election. "Rightly or wrongly, there is a feeling among the generals that the armed forces is the only institution in Thailand that is capable of revamping the political landscape and rooting out Thaksin's influence," Ambika Ahuja, a Southeast Asia specialist at Eurasia Group, a New York-based political risk consultancy, told Reuters in an email. Policy Misstep Since taking control Prayuth has rolled out a temporary constitution that grants the military absolute powers and hand-picked an interim parliament stacked with military figures that appointed him prime minister. The military government is striving to revive an economy that contracted in the first half of the year. There are signs of recovery but data on Friday suggested a broad-based recovery is some way off. The man overseeing the economy in the new cabinet is one of its few civilians, Pridiyathorn Devakula, 67, a former central bank governor who was finance minister in the government the military set up after the 2006 coup. During that government, he bungled an attempt to impose capital controls to prop up the currency, leading to a sharp fall in the stock market. His appointment has garnered mixed reactions. "I don't think he is a stand-out to foreign investors and any who have followed Thailand for a long time remember his capital controls mistake," Andrew Stotz, chief executive at A. Stotz Investment Research in Bangkok, told Reuters. Others welcome someone they say is respected in the international financial community who, as economics adviser to the junta, has helped ease foreign investor concerns about stability. But democracy, said Chambers, may have to wait. "Prayuth's promises to achieve multiple goals also gives them what they perhaps perceive as a mandate to remain in power until these objectives are reached," said Chambers. "Only one year until elections? I doubt it." Additional reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak and Orathai Sriring. The post Thai Cabinet Meets King; Doubt Grows Over Power Handover Schedule appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Apple Supplier in China Accused of Violations Posted: 04 Sep 2014 10:43 PM PDT Workers are seen inside a Foxconn factory in the township of Longhua in southern China's Guangdong Province May 26, 2010. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — An Apple supplier in China is violating safety and pay rules despite the computer giant's promises to improve conditions, two activist groups said Thursday, ahead of the expected release of the iPhone 6. The report by China Labor Watch and Green America adds to a string of complaints about wage, safety and environmental conditions at China's network of contractors that produce most of the world's personal computers and mobile phones. Global brands that rely on Chinese suppliers have responded by imposing wage and other standards and by carrying out regular inspections. Violations at Catcher Technology's facility in the eastern city of Suqian have worsened since they were pointed out to Apple in April 2013 by China Labor Watch, the report said. At the time, Apple promised to remedy the problems. The report said employees affected worked on parts for the latest version of Apple's iPad and were later transferred to a facility that produces the iPhone 6. Apple Inc., based in Cupertino, California, said it would send inspectors to investigate the latest report. It said the Suqian facility makes aluminum enclosures for MacBook and iPad computers. An undercover investigator who got a job at the facility found violations including mandatory overtime of up to 100 hours per month, in excess of the legal limit of 36 hours, and failure to pay some wages to its 20,000 employees, the report said. It said violations of Apple policies included failing to give out protective gear and locking fire exits and windows. An aluminum polishing workshop was filled with metal dust, a fire hazard, according to the report. It said supervisors talked about the need to reduce fire risk following an explosion at another company but no action was taken. In a statement, Apple said its inspectors examine the Catcher facility's aluminum polishing systems every month "and consistently find they exceed international safety standards." The statement said Apple conducted 451 audits of suppliers including Catcher last year. The latest audit of Catcher in May found "concrete areas" for improvement, the company said. It said as a result of fire safety inspections, the most recent last week, Catcher has repaired fire extinguishers, unblocked fire exits and added missing emergency exit signs. Apple said Catcher has averaged 95 percent compliance with its limit of 60 hours of work per week so far this year. The company has scheduled a product launch for Sept. 9 but has not said what will be released. People who follow the company believe it will be a larger iPhone or possibly a smart watch. In 2012, Apple promised to raise wages and reduce working hours at factories in China after an audit found violations by its biggest supplier, Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group. Companies including Nike Inc., Gap Inc. and The Walt Disney Co. also have set labor standards for Chinese factories that make shoes, clothing, toys and other goods sold under their brands. The post Apple Supplier in China Accused of Violations appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Chinese Tourists Flock to a ‘Pleasant Village’ of Gambling Dens in Burma Posted: 04 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT One of the casinos of Wancho, near Mong La. (Photo: Nang Seng Nom / The Irrawaddy) SPECIAL REGION 4 — At 8am, the road out of Mong La gets busy. Many visitors to this border town in the far east of Burma's Shan State come to gamble—to do that, they must make the seven-mile journey to Wancho. Eleven years ago, the National Democratic Alliance Army that controls this enclave on the Burmese-Chinese border moved Mong La's casinos here, apparently responding to crackdown by the Chinese government after a Chinese official blew more than US$100,000 in a single visit. Wancho, not the original name for this place, means "pleasant village." "The village's name was Wanshow originally. But to make it a happy place, they changed it to Wancho when they built the casinos," said Aung Tun, a Mong La resident. About 400 expensive-looking cars take tourists to the gaming hub each day. Most are men and women from China, where, like in most of Burma, gambling is prohibited. They are not allowed to sleep in the casino village—although they can gamble 24 hours a day in the casinos—so many return to Mong La's hotels at night. The 15 or so casino buildings are topped with satellite dishes. Inside, many of the players wear headsets, communicating with high-rollers elsewhere for whom they serve as proxies. The guards seem to let anyone in, but taking photographs inside is prohibited. For many of the workers here, all dressed in black and white, the casinos one of the limited options for employment—outside of the sex industry and the illegal wildlife trade. But only 18-30 year olds are allowed to work, and those who reach 30 have to leave their jobs. Hailing from Shan State towns like Muse and Lashio, or Mong La and the town of Tangyan in the Wa region, workers from various local ethnic groups alternate day and night shifts and are shuttled back and forth to accommodation in Mong La. A local ethnic Shan ethnic woman, who has two daughters working in the casinos, told The Irrawaddy her daughters earn 3,000-4,000 yuan ($489-652) a month—a relatively high wage in the rest of Burma. "I rent an apartment here in Mong La and have to pay 1,200 yuan [$195]. The rent price has high because many people come to work in here," she said. "The town does not have much border trade, so there's not much work except for in the gambling industry. Most people here go to work in the casinos." The post Chinese Tourists Flock to a 'Pleasant Village' of Gambling Dens in Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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